The SNP said Mr Moxham's comments echoed concerns expressed by other organisatiions, including NUS Scotland and Age Scotland, about Labour's new position on universal benefits.

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This strategy will be centered on our leading wealth management businesses and our position as the strongest universal bank in Switzerland.

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Falco served as an informal consultant to Comcast as it prepared its acquisition of NBC Universal, leaving many to assume a position in the reformatted company would follow.

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Many German banks seem to be in this position, as may some investment banks and some universal banks, such as Barclays, that have retail loans in peripheral Europe that exceed their deposits there.

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"The Commission believes that these undertakings reduce significantly the ability of Canal Plus to influence other major US studios and eliminate the serious doubts as to the strengthening of a dominant position of Canal Plus following its vertical integration with Universal, " it said.

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But the default position across the Scottish Parliament's parties has been to defend public services and universal provision as the top priority.

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